Port Harcourt on the edge

Three days ago, Sergeant William Relomer woke up upbeat. Nothing forewarned him that he would not return home to his family. The riot policeman, who was on escort duty, an official of Oyigbo Local Government Council of Rivers State; and a driver were killed that day by armed robbers in Port Harcourt. The bandits escaped with a huge sum of money belonging to Oyigbo local council, which was withdrawn from a new generation bank on the busy Olu-Obasanjo Road. The policeman’s rifle has also become part of their war chest. The robbery took place around noon.

In the last four months, Port Harcourt has been under siege of armed robbers, kidnappers, cultists, sea pirates and pipeline vandals.

Traders are groaning. Residents are scared. Nightlife has taken a holiday. And oil firms are alerting their members of staff to the danger of moving about the oil city without caution.

Before the last general elections, Rivers State was on edge. The state capital, Port Harcourt, bore a chunk of the brunt. After the polls, many traders and business men and women expected a conducive business clime to return but their expectations are far from the reality. Now, there is so much grumble over lack of cash flow.

Robbery, kidnapping and cult-related activities have worsened the situation. Night club owners and other night businesses operating in the state are closing their shops for lack of patronage.

Some of the business men, who spoke to the Niger Delta Report, said apart from low business patronage, the government at the state and federal governments should also kick the ball rolling to encourage vibrant economy.

A rice seller at Mile 3 market in Port Harcourt, Mr. Godwin Arume, said he borrowed money from the bank after the elections to import bags of rice using his Toyota Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) as collateral, with the hope that he would return the money as agreed.

Arume said: “As I am talking to you now, what I used as collateral to collect money from the bank has been taken away from me because of bad business. After I imported the rice with the money, some rice dealers who I also supplied rice came with different stories that I should supply them to pay later. Till today, they have not paid. This is the worse period of doing business in Port Harcourt.”

A major distributor of Southern Paint Nigeria Limited, Mr. Emmanuel James, said the poor business patronage is because the government in the state and at federal levels have not settled down. He noted that there is lack of cash flow in the country, which is affecting business in the state and other states of the federation.

He said: “My brother, you can’t expect business in Rivers State to start booming like the way it was before the general elections in the state. When a government comes into power and they are stable without electoral litigation, the cabinet will be immediately appointed. And every aspect of the government will be functional, money will be budgeted for the ministry, contracts will be awarded and money will flow. ”

Orlu

On insecurity, Mr. Chigozi Orlu-Orlu, a lawyer and member of Lawyers Network for Change, said killings and kidnapping have continued. He alleged further that since the courts in the state were reopened insecurity in the state has increased to a level that people now hide for safety.

He said many politicians now live in Abuja, especially the supporters of All Progressive Congress (APC) and those tagged as enemies of government.

“How many politicians are living in Rivers State, even those of the ruling party are hiding their identities. How many of them that can invite journalists or visitors to their home? That’s because there is insecurity in the state. After the release of Vanguard columnist and the son of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, two clergy men, Venerable J.B Lawson and Venerable Isobo Dokubo of the African Church, were kidnapped. We are not talking about the incessant robbery and increased activities of cultism in the state immediately Chief Wike took over as the governor of Rivers State. Before now he told us that there was so much insecurity in the state because former Governor Rotimi Amaechi closed down the courts. Now that the courts have reopened, what is happening? To be candid with you, we are living in fear in this state.”

Chairman, Ikwerre Youth Movement (IYM), Emohua Local Government Area, Hon. Lucky Worluh, said he blamed the security agents for the security situation in Port Harcourt.

Worluh

Worluh said: “I want Rivers people to help me and find out if the Inspector General of Police, the Director of State Security Service (SSS) and other security agencies in this country do not know what is happening in Rivers State. What is happening in Rivers State is terrible; nobody will tell me that he does not know what is happening. Cult groups have taken over some communities. As I am talking to you now, some communities in Ikwerre and Emohua local government areas have been taken over by cult groups. Before the expiration of Amaechi’s tenure he set up commission of inquiry because of the killing that took place in Omuku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local government Area of Rivers State and other killing that took place in other local government areas. Some people went to court to stop that inquiry.

“Because they want us to continue living in the past, which is bad, the police are part of the atrocities happening in Rivers State. The same people that killed these victims are today having more than twenty escorts following them. You can imagine that the so-called caretaker chairmen are going around paying courtesy visit to some certain elements. You can imagine that the government of the state is not thinking on how to end insecurity in the state; instead they are busy respecting ex-militants and leaders of cult groups in the state. And the membership of cult groups is increasing daily. Of course, those who aided cult groups in the state are now members of the State House of Assembly, Caretaker committee chairmen. The people are shouting, the residents have resulted into self-help. Something must have to be done fast.”

The chairman of Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, Mr. Austin Ahiamadu, said insecurity in the state, especially that of his local government was because security agencies in the state refused to live up to their responsibility.

He said the people are not happy over the insecurity in Rivers State, particularly that of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local government area.

“We are unhappy over the insecurity situation in this area. I blame the Police for the continuous killing and shooting by unknown gunmen in Ogba Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State. The most recent is the killing by unknown gunmen who invaded three communities and killed over 13 persons in three communities, Omoku town, Obirikom and Ogbogu .

“Naturally as a Council Chairman, I am the Chief Security officer, but I can’t go to war, mine is to give order. As the Council chairman I have good relationship with the security agency but I can’t do their own job. And if their job is not done properly, you don’t come back to blame the council chairman. “

The Special Adviser to Governor Nyesom Wike on Media and Publicity, Sir Opunabo Inko-Tariah , said the governor had done a lot to improve the security in the state. He blamed Amaechi for the insecurity in the state, adding that: “Governor Wike in addition to other covert measures which cannot be disclosed for security reason because such disclosures will negate the very essence, he donated 64 vehicles with modern security gadgets to the security agencies in Rivers State.”

But for Nathaniel Mark, a Port Harcourt-based public commentator, said: “Under Wike, homes are not safe much as the roads and street corners have turned black spots. For travellers on the Emohua-Buguma-Degema road, death and abduction are daily realities. Several travellers on that route have either been kidnapped or killed. Armed security personnel are killed on that road much as ‘bloody’ civilians. Occurrences are daily as state Chief Executive and Chief Security Officer has done nothing to confront this monster.

“With spiralling spate of kidnapping across Rivers state, most oil companies have chosen to quarantine their workforce. Recently, such oil companies issued travel advisory to their workers. The theme was short and simple – ‘Beware of Rivers State. As much as possible stay away or keep low profile’. Daily, people are kidnapped and that happens in broad day light. Recently popular essayist and newspaper columnist, Dornu Kogbara, was kidnapped right in her Port Harcourt home. Two days later, the son of the Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Ndowa Sunday Lale, was kidnapped right in their Ebubu-Eleme country home.”

The Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muhammad Kidaya Ahmad, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the police have done more than enough to protect lives and properties in the state.

He said: “As far as Rivers Police command is concerned, we are on top of the situation. I believe that if you sample the opinions of ordinary Rivers man and woman, he or she will attest that we are trying our best. One thing I observed is that some people are giving wrong assertion to the public about security situation in Rivers State. But I am assuring the public that we would not be deterred by the act of wrong perception, the command will do what they are supposed to do as to protect lives and properties in the state.”

A former officer of the Department of State Security (DSS), Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, believes the poor security situation in the state is as a result massive arms that were shipped into the state before the elections to arm the criminally-minded youths to do the bidding of politicians.

He said as long as the guns were not retrieved from the youths they would use them to perpetrate crimes against defenceless persons in the state.

For now, Port Harcourt especially remains on the edge. Nightlife has taken a break; oil companies’ workers are extra careful; and life cannot be said to be good for the ordinary people. And the rich also cry.